Thermostat max of 65f? How to do..?

DaveV

Hi all, new here - I live in Boston belong to a ski club that has an old house as a lodge in northern New Hampshire. We heat with oil/forced hot air and a wood stove in one part of the house as well, which helps. We are terrified of the oil prices next winter, and know that people have a tendency to jack the heat up regardless of how much they are lectured, as people are partying and having fun and don't worry about the heat costs. We would like to install a simple thermostat that limits the temp to a max of 65f (seeing that it goes below zero regularly up there at night, 65 isn't as bad as it sounds - even 63f maybe) Can anyone suggest a simple, inexpensive way to do this? Thanks!

wirenut1110

You can get a digital t-stat that is password protected or just get a locking cover for it.

geo fan

Find a local hvac supply house and buy a temp stat bulb they are used for new construction and maybe cost 3$ take the thermostat off the wall and wire nut the R and W terminal and tuck it in the wall and remount the thermostat covering the hole. This was done by a budy of mine going through a divorce and got sick of fighting over the thermostat. this will hold a 65 degree all the time night and day and the thermostat will do nothing. the other more expensive option is go to the same supply house and buy a thermostat lock box the down side to that is it can be eisily picked or people bothering you for the key. the third and even more expensive option is to buy a new thermostat the new programable digital have limits that can be programed into the back programing and not eisily accessed without the the instillation manuel but the cost 60-100 bucks honey well pro series 5k 6k 8k .k not dollors its the thermostat series

nap

there is no thermostat that will prevent a smart person from being able to raise the temp. It is simple to trick the t-stat into believing it is colder than it actually is.

the hidden t-stat is a neat trick.

Curious; what gives you the right to limit the temps. While it is obviously an energy savings action, why do you get to choose the temp rather than others?

who pays the bills on this building?

DaveV

It's a ski ckub, non-profit http://www.innitou.org/
It's a long story, but I am on the B-O-D - it is usually empty during the week, it is left on 50-55 to keep pipes from freezing. We get a lot of guests and members as well who jack the heat up and then go skiing or partying or whatever - it's a big house -no one is going to sit here putting snow on the bloody thing to kick it off, if you can't survive at 65, you aren't much of a skier - plus we have a Franklin wood stove in the rec room, if u are that cold, go sit by it . Believe me, this is no "napeleon complex", we piss thru an insane amount of oil and we have serious concerns about next winter- I would have to run the idea by the Board, but no matter how we beyotch in the newsletters about conserving utilities, no one can seem to do it.. ANYWAYS we just want one we can vary from 65 down to off, or I do anyways -

8 Ball

If you can figure out how to keep people from adjusting thermostats, let me know, we will both be rich.

It has been my experience that having the highest efficiency equipment you can afford, is the best money spent. If you have a standard oil furnace in good working condition, your probably getting 60 cents of heat for every dollar your spending. Not taking repairs and maint. costs into account. A high efficiency propane furnace, for example will give you 90+ (90-97%) cents in heat, for the same dollar you spend.

There are high efficiency oil furnaces out there, but they do require a lot more maint..



Most new digital stats will meet your needs. Get one password or setpoint protected.

Good Luck.

nap

if you aren't worried about the snow or cold glass of water trick, then I would opt for a prgrammable t-stat that requires a password to change the programming or a stat with a remote sensor where you can lock the actual controls in a closet or whatever.

the lockboxes are too easily defeated.

statman

New Honeywell Vision Pro tstat will allow you to set the heating and cooling limits in the installers set up as mentioned before.

DaveV

I think that is the best bet. We can't lock the controls, cuz when the house is "closed" the heat is turned down low as possible, whoever "opens" it puts the heat back on - We have plenty of time to evaluate new stats!